


The Last

by KawaiiSpider



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:20:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22137712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiSpider/pseuds/KawaiiSpider





	The Last

One week away from the city. That was all they had planned it to be. One week away from the bustle, the endless waves of people, the infinite lines of cars and trucks that crawled across concrete and bitumen. There were five of them, crammed into a car that headed north-west, into the green countryside and past farms and small forests before entering the national park.

The driver, and owner, of the car was Emily Chu. She studied music at one of the little universities in the city, and was an accomplished instrumentalist, able to play French horn, accordion, trombone, piano, and cello. Only her accordion joined her on this little getaway, nestled between the legs of the girl sitting in the front seat. Talisha Amari, whose legs protected her girlfriend’s accordion, worked at a bookshop in the city, which the pair also lived above. Talisha’s hand rested on Emily’s thigh as Emily drove along the winding roads.

Three women were squashed in the back seat, and they all looked a little carsick. In the middle was a dark-skinned girl with frizzy hair, Eva Kyenge, who was staring determinedly through the front windscreen. Eva studied philosophy, physics, and mathematics at the same university as Emily, and had first met her in the university orchestra. On Eva’s left was Kaylin Green, who worked at the same university. Kaylin’s mother was a high-ranking administrator and had secured Kaylin the job right out of high school.

The last woman in the car was Cassandra Wilkinson, whose black hair was almost as curly as Eva’s, though her skin was painfully pale. Cassandra studied mathematics with Eva, though she majored in data science.

Nine hours, and three driver swaps, since their departure from the city, the car finally arrived, turning a corner to reveal a large open area with a small creek winding through. There were old buildings here, the remnants of an abandoned town. Scattered between these buildings were about twelve campsites, all empty, each with a firepit and logs to serve as seats.

Emily, who now sat in the front seat, looked around.  
“So where do you guys want to set up? They all look big enough for the three tents.”  
Kaylin yawned before replying in a tired voice.  
“Anywhere, I just want to sleep…”  
“You’ve been sleeping for half the trip!”, Eva exclaimed, “How can you still be tired?”  
“I have a sleep disorder! I told you this…”  
“Guys, chill.” Emily tried to take control of the situation. “How about over there, that tree looks nice and shady, and it’s right next to the creek. There was a murmur of assent, so Talisha parked the car and the five women exited the car and began to unpack. After an hour of wrangling with tents and suitcases, a semi-serviceable campsite was set up and a fire was lit. True to her word, Kaylin drifted off, curled up next to the fire as Talisha tried to cook sausages over the flames.

Drinks were soon handed around to wash down the burnt sausage, and it didn’t take long for everyone to head to their tents, exhausted from the long drive. Emily and Talisha shared one tent, which Kaylin and Cassandra shared another, leaving Eva a tent to herself. Kaylin and Cassandra were not dating, though they were close friends with benefits and their friends all firmly believed that the pair would make a great couple.

The first sign than anything was wrong was a blinding flash of light on the horizon at exactly 3 am.

It woke Emily from her sleep, the outlines of trees burned into her vision.  
“What the fuck was that?”  
She could hear the others moving.  
“I saw it too. A flash of light.”  
There was the sound of a tent unzipping, and then Eva’s voice.  
“There is a glow to the east, looks like a fire or something.”  
“How far away?”  
“I can’t tell. Pretty far through…”

Cassandra emerged from her tent, holding her phone. “I don’t have internet.”  
There was a flurry as everyone checked their phones.  
“Me neither.”  
“Nope.”  
“Fuck…”  
A tangible worry hung over the group now.  
Eva spoke, “Maybe there just isn’t reception here?”  
Emily shook her head. “No, I had data last night, I sent mum a message saying we had got here safe.”  
Kaylin nodded. “Same.”

There was a pause.  
“Should we leave?”  
Talisha’s voice trembled a bit as she spoke the words that everyone was thinking.

There was another pause before Emily spoke.  
“The fire, if that is what it is, is the way we would go. The road we came in on continues in the opposite direction, if it gets closer, we can leave that way, head inland and out of the forest. I will stay awake to keep an eye on it, everyone else can go back to sleep.”  
“I’ll stay up with you.” Talisha brushed Emily’s hand.  
“No, sleep in case we need to drive tomorrow.” Emily kissed her and pushed her gently back towards the tent. The other’s followed suite, and soon Emily sat alone in the darkness, watching the orange glow. It stayed eerily constant throughout the night, a grim reminded of something that Emily could not quite place.


End file.
